Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of death.
Alec Baldwin’s film Rust witnessed a tragic incident where the actor accidentally fired a gun killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and fatally injuring director Joel Souza. Despite the controversy the movie resumed filming but with strict precautionary protocols this time. Now that the Western drama is out for public consumption, the director only hopes that people give the movie a “chance.”
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter on November 20, Souza opened up about his years-long collaboration with Baldwin, Hutchin’s legacy, and his expectations for the film. “If people don’t want to watch this movie, for any reason, they certainly don’t need to and there’s no hard feelings from me,” the director clarified.
However, if people wish to give it a chance, he’d encourage them to focus on the visual aspects and cinematography more than anything else. “It’s a very unique opportunity to look through Halyna’s eyes and see how she saw the world,” he added. The director revealed how Hutchin’s legacy motivated people to complete the project.
“They came back and stepped into a very difficult and loaded situation because they were touched by her,” he said adding that it was important for people to conclude this chapter for Hutchin’s sake.
The tragic incident took place on October 21, when the prop gun that Baldwin was holding was accidentally discharged.
As a result, The Beetlejuice actor was indicted on the charges of involuntary manslaughter in January. The case was dropped after the defense attorneys accused the prosecutors of hiding evidence. However, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed — who was in charge of the weapons used on set — was indicted with the same charge and her release has been declined.
Now, Souza wants people to go see the movie only to honor the vision of Hutchins. “If you watch the film, you’ll get to look through her eyes and get to understand a little more about the artist she was,” he told the outlet.
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